Oil & Gas
Navigating complexity in oil and gas: practical, cross-border legal support that drives business outcomes and protects your commercial interests across the value chain from upstream exploration and production to midstream infrastructure and downstream processing.
The oil and gas sector faces increasing complexity, from shifting global demand and regulatory change to a rapidly evolving energy landscape. Businesses must navigate these challenges while protecting investments, supporting ongoing operations, and driving long-term growth.
Stephenson Harwood has significant expertise across the oil and gas sector, providing a full range of transactional and contentious legal advice to clients throughout the value chain. With experienced lawyers across a global network of offices, we deliver practical, commercial legal solutions that support clients' operations throughout the life of their projects while protecting the long-term value of their businesses.
We advise on a number of highly specialised areas that few international energy practices can replicate, including across upstream, midstream and downstream oil and gas, with a particular focus on LNG infrastructure (both on and offshore), maritime and offshore contracting matters.
Our team has many years' experience advising independents, majors, national oil companies, global service companies, offshore contractors, insurers, funders and investment banks. We understand the unique challenges faced by participants across the sector and work closely with clients to ensure their interests are safeguarded at every stage of a project's lifecycle.
Our leading contentious practice, regularly advises on high-profile disputes in the energy sector. Our deep understanding of how disputes arise and play out within the industry enables us to help clients anticipate, manage and resolve complex issues at every stage. We advise on litigation, arbitration under all major arbitration institutions and ad hoc proceedings, mediations, fraud actions arising from contractual performance issues, and asset tracing matters.
Our Services
Upstream
Matahio Energy
Advising Matahio Energy on the sale of New Zealand upstream oil and gas assets to Sunda Energy plc a UK listed E&P company. Matahio Energy is an independent energy company based in Singapore with operations in New Zealand and Southeast Asia.Singapore Fund
Advising a Singapore fund on the management buyout of upstream oil assets in the Philippines.
Midstream
African oil refinery
Representing a large African conglomerate in a LCIA arbitration arising from delay related claims of approximately US$150 million concerning a major infrastructure project.
Downstream
Oil and gas assets, New Zealand
Advising on a complex intercreditor arrangement with respect to oil held instore as part of deferred consideration for the sale of oil and gas assets in New Zealand.
Offshore
Take Private
Advising a Singapore based logistics group on the proposed take private of a listed SE Asian oil and gas shipping group.
Disputes
Heavylift vessel owner
Acted for a specialist heavy lift vessel owner on all disputes arising out of the installation of multiple wellhead platforms on one of India’s largest offshore energy projects, including delay, typhoon impact, H&S, variations and additional cost claims.Subsea Construction Dispute – SPM & pipelines
Successfully represented a subcontractor in all claims arising from an EPCI dispute involving an integrated offshore pipeline and Single Point Mooring (SPM) project linked to a new national crude storage hub in the Arabian Sea. Matters included design and installation disputes, variations, prolongation/disruption, EOT and LD exposure.Dive Support Vessel
Successfully represented the owner of a dive support vessel in a non-payment of hire and wrongful termination dispute arising from subsea inspection/repair works on an offshore oil and gas project for a leading Nigerian E&P.West African state-owned oil company
Acting for a West African state-owned oil company against a leading International Oil Company in an ad hoc arbitration in a claim of over US$1.5 billion, arising from a dispute over the application of pre-emption rights in a joint venture contract.African oil refinery
Representing a large African conglomerate in a LCIA arbitration arising from delay related claims of approximately US$150 million concerning a major infrastructure project.Nigeria's state-owned oil company
Acting for NNPC (Nigeria's state-owned oil company) in a 14-year case resisting the enforcement of a US$450 million plus arbitral award in England made in favour of ICPO (Nigeria) Limited. The case led to seven reported judgments of the English Commercial Court, the Court of Appeal, and the Supreme Court. Our team won Dispute Resolution Team of the Year at the British Legal Awards 2018 for the ground-breaking work in the enforcement of arbitral awards.
Upstream
European Investment Group
Advising on the proposed US$60+ million financing and acquisition of major participation interest in two Indonesian production sharing contracts in an Australian listed exploration and production company.
Midstream
Malaysian LPG Terminal
Advising a private equity back product storage group on the auction sale of its LPQ storage terminal in Malaysia.Malaysian LNG Regasification Terminal
Advising a private equity back terminal operations group on the development of an onshore LNG regasification terminal in Malaysia.
Downstream
Habshan Gas Power Plant
Acting for the contractor in a US$50 million dispute relating to the expansion of the Habshan Gas Power Plant in Abu Dhabi.
LNG
Malaysian LNG Regasification terminal
Advising a private equity backed terminal operator on the development of an onshore LNG regasification terminal in Malaysia[ND1.1].Acquisition Finance LNG Fleet
Advised on a syndicated senior secured acquisition financing for a North Asian based international energy focused transportation company, in connection with its acquisition an LNG trading transportation company, with a diversified fleet of LNG carriers, LPG carriers, and other vessels.Korean Shipowner
Representing one of Korea's largest shipowners in a US$400 million dispute concerning defects in the construction and purchase of two LNG vessels.GAIL (India) Limited
Acted for GAIL (India) Limited, the Indian state-owned gas company, in a LCIA arbitration relating to claims of US$1.8 billion arising from a dispute over the non-delivery of LNG supplies. We achieved a successful outcome for the client by way of an amicable settlement shortly before the hearing.Major LNG producer
Drafting and revising LNG sale contract templates, specifically MSPAs and SPAs as well as shipping contract templates for a major LNG producer.
FPSO for Rosebank field
Advising Altera Infrastructure on the negotiation and drafting of an EPC contract with a joint venture between Aker Solutions and Drydocks World Dubai for the redeployment of the FPSO Knarr to the Rosebank field.FPSO for Brazilian Oil & Gas Field
Advised BW Offshore Limited in respect of the proposed construction of a FPSO for use in the Gato do Mato oil and gas field development offshore Brazil, including the financing arrangements, the charter contract, charter guarantee and direct agreement.FPSO in Angola
Advising in respect of project documentation and the financing documentation in respect of a FPSO that will be deployed in Angola, including preparing a full due diligence report for the financiers and negotiating the finance documentation.FPSO in Nigeria
Negotiating terms and advising on commercial risks relating to a floating production project offshore Nigeria.FPSO in South America
Advised a leading floating production company on a joint venture with a major conglomerate and the construction, acquisition, contracting, offtake and funding of the project in South America.FPSO for Indonesian Gas Field
Advising on consortium’s bid to provide Mubadalla led consortium with an FPSO for an Indonesian gas field.FPSO for Vietnam Gas Field
Advising a private SE Asian company on a proposed FPSO (gas) contract for deployment in Vietnam.
